Be kind to every one, because…

Hello and welcome back to Second Chance to Live my friend. I am happy to see that you decided to stop by to visit with me. Thank you. During the past several days I have found myself thinking critically of specific individuals. When I found myself going there – thinking critically about these individuals — the next thought that came to mind was that I have no idea what these individuals may be struggling with or are going through in their lives.

Be kind to every one you meet, because you have no idea what they may be struggling with or going through in their lives.

As I reflected upon this thought what became apparent to me is that I can choose to use the time – instead using it to think critically of them – to pray for them. As I began to pray for them and to ask that God would bless them and meet their needs, I found that the heaviness — brought about by my critical attitude towards those individuals — was replaced with a new freedom. Compassion for those individuals and compassion for myself.

“You can’t hold a man down without staying down with him.” Booker T. Washington

The awareness helped me to experience a freedom surrounding these individuals.

The awareness helped me to experience a freedom in myself – Serenity.

Several years ago a mentor of mine shared a prayer with me. I would like to share that prayer with you my friend. The prayer helps me to pursue kindness, whenever I find myself becoming critical of another individual.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

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